As a former gamer, everyone knows that homophobia is rampant in that particular medium. Things are improving, but there’s still a way to go. Many gamers aren’t tolerating homophobic abuse anymore online so that’s good at least

Comment from gentlemind doesn’t sound too gentle. But so convoluted, am not sure what point is being made. This is an evidence based hate crime, I wonder if the comedian, ha ha will be laughing if he gets prosecuted. I am not, transgender, gay, lesbian whatever, I am a person, but find this abhorrent.

Excuse me, Microsoft, but comedians tend to be very deliberate in their word usage. There’s no way in hell this wasn’t intentionally insulting.
The lesson this “commedian” needs to learn, is that making “jokes” at other people’s expense is never funny. Especially should they get prosecuted for this one.

She is wearing non human animal ears for Pete’s sake and claiming she is being dehumanised by others, no wonder she was being called “it” .
I’m not trivialising anything Barbara, but why dress as some kind of alien creature if you don’t want people to think you are something weird and unidentifiable, and why complain when youv’e so succeeded in making yourself look like an unidentifiable creature or some kind of other “it” that people don’t know what to call you?
She has a sense of humour in her dress sense that doesn’t carry through her attitude… in my opinion (as always)

Timmy. Yes, a hate crime, it is not allowed. You shouldn’t join in discussions when you don’t know the facts. You bully someone who is transgender and get reported to the police, you may be in trouble. It’s against the law!

So she is, lovely… but where are her wings?
I’m not defending anything, I am offering an alternative explanation to what occurred, clearly not popular with those here who want to lynch Fraser Millward without a fair trial.

Shaming and insulting female cosplayers over their clothing is also nothing new, and is just as despicable and certainly not in Microsoft’s business interest. And whether Mr Millward was insulting Ms Dale over her gender identity or her cosplay, it was still a nasty bit of misogyny.

But I have seen other conference attendees state that many people present were cosplaying, so I highly doubt that this was the reason Mr Millward used this dehumanising language to Ms Dale. He could hardly have expected his costume-wearing gamer audience to be sympathetic to cosplay insults. Transphobia is a much more plausible explanation.

How was Mr Millward supposed to know whether MsDale was a transwoman or simply an ordinary bloke dressed up in cosplay costume especially just for the gaming event?
If it was deliberate transphobia being expressed then I deplore it but under the circumstances there is scope for genuine confusion and so I think possibly Ms Dale overreacted.

Overreacted to being called ‘it’? You have dug a nice hole for yourself Pavlos. He knew what he was saying.
Do you realise how many transgender people commit suicide? I think Laura handled herself well and the comedian is lucky she didn’t report him to the police.

So bury me with your thumbs down.
You so want to be offended that you can’t even consider any other possibility.
I stick by what I said, there is reasonable scope for identity confusion around a transperson who is also dressed in cosplay costume at a gaming convention.
Barbara, you need to lighten up and apply a bit more thought to the situation rather than go with your over-emotional gut reaction

I am surprised that Microsoft wasn’t the least bit informed about this “comedian’s” routine before he was put on stage. And there is a difference between a skit of LGBT jokes and even just trans jokes and the attack of an individual or minority group and their personal struggles. As a trans identified individual myself I am appalled by this. This should have been dealt with immediately.

I agree that this whole refusal to name and shame is ridiculous. If the person made bigoted comments then he needs to be called out for these comments so people will know that this is not someone you would want to hire for events if you do not want their kind of color commentary present.
None of these kinds of jokes are funny, they are cruel and the saying of ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me'; is a grade a load of bullcrap.

There are kids out there killing themselves over words like this being thrown at them.

Timmy.
I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but it is now seen as a hate crime like rasicm etc. If you are going to join in these discussions, make sure you know your facts. You are not allowed to abuse someone because of their gender.

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